Collection of Kisses
by Unconventional
Summary: A collection of one-shots, moments that could have included a Liason kiss. Enjoy.
1. Dance

The pain in her eyes was unbearably vibrant, sending an unbearable amount of pain to course through his body and right into his heart. He had thought that he got her past this point in losing her late boyfriend, but apparently it wasn't enough to last long enough. The tears that threaten to fall from her eyes are evidence of that very fact.

She says that she has broken, eliciting the same feeling to surge within him, unable to believe that she would never be whole again. He refuses to believe that. He refuses to accept that she would always be this way. Smiling, laughing, and enjoying life one minute before crashing down hard the next. She deserves better than that. She deserves better than to mourn for the rest of her life, preventing herself from truly living.

He could see the conflict within her eyes when she finds herself existing in a good moment, in a happy moment, in a moment that brings her to life. It was like she was trying to break free from the pain, but she just couldn't allow herself. Like she felt like she was betraying Lucky, somehow, by living her life and truly enjoying the moments life has to offer.

Against his better judgement, he allows her to linger in her pain, wrapping his arms around her as the song floats through the room by way of the jukebox. He knows why she's doing it, he knows what she hopes to gain from dancing with him, but he won't call her out on it. He won't contradict her or point out that it wouldn't help. That it wouldn't work.

Instead, he simply holds her in his arms as the music plays, allowing her to snuggle deeper into him as she shuts her eyes tightly, doing her damnedest to imagine her late boyfriend holding her instead of him. As the song comes to an end and she pulls away, his opinion on the little exercise is confirmed. It didn't work. Bringing a new realization into her eyes that he wished he could take back, but knowing that she had to learn it the hard way.

"Come on." he finally voices, needing to get her out of this spunk, ignoring her lame attempt at acting like she was okay, knowing damn well she wasn't. "Lets go for a ride."

"That's okay." she backs down from his offer, her defense going up. "I'm sure you have more important things to do."

"Not at the moment." he counters with pure conviction in his tone, pushing open the door while keeping his eyes on her. "Come on."

Glancing around the diner, she takes a deep breath, leaving him a little anxious of whether or not she'll drop the act and just go with him. After what had to be the longest minute of his entire life, she slides the apron from her body, tossing it onto the counter before walking over to him and sliding into her jacket.

He waits long enough for her to lockup before guiding her to his bike, needing to get her out on the road, knowing that it was the one sure thing to help break her free of the pain that resides within her eyes. Speeding off into the night, he drives faster and faster, as fast as the bike can take them, knowing that slowly but surely she'll allow herself to embrace the feeling.

They had made it to the winding road, hitting all the turns, before she finally let go. Throwing her head back, allowing the wind to dance through her hair, she let it carry her away from the pain, away from the heartache, and planted her right into the moment she was in. Not wanting the feeling to end for her, he tries to drive for as long as he can, but the inevitable occurred, prompting him to make his way to her Gram's house.

Shutting off the engine, he helps her dismount the bike before following suit, leaning back against his bike for support as he looked at her. He could see the light shining through her, making him grateful that he was able to bring that out in her, even if it doesn't last long. It will last long enough until they see each other again.

"Thank you, Jason." she voices, breaking the silence that had fallen over them. "I don't know what I would have done had you not taken me away from the diner when you did."

"You don't have to thank me." he smiles slightly, unable to deny how beautiful she looked when her smile actually reaches her eyes, much like it was in that moment. "I wanted to do it."

"I'm glad." she takes a deep breath, glancing up at the stars. "Nothing ever compares to the beauty of the stars after a ride."

"That's not true." he voices before he can stop himself, eliciting a confused look from her. "I just mean, there's something more beautiful than the stars."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." she replies after a moment, turning her gaze back to the stars. "I hope that its always like this. This feeling."

"I'm sure it will be."

Glancing down at his watch, Jason knew that he couldn't wait any longer, he had to head off to his meeting before life as he knows it turns into utter chaos. He gestures to her pathway, moving to walk her to her door once she gets what he's trying to say, walking at her pace, not wanting this moment to end anymore than she does, but knowing it had to.

"I guess this is where we say goodnight." she plays with her fingers as she talks to him, making him realize that she was nervous about something, but decides not to ask her about it.

"Yeah." he shakes his head, granting her an apologetic smile. "I guess it is."

"Goodnight," she replies on a whisper, smiling slightly, but the smile doesn't go to her eyes anymore. "Jason."

For a moment too long, he remains standing there, staring into her eyes, clearing confusing her by his delayed departure. He couldn't understand it either yet there he stood, simply staring into her eyes, pained by the walls that begin to go up. By the realization that the effects of their ride together wouldn't last too long. He needed to do something. To keep her out of the darkness. To give her something to look forward to.

"Jason?" she voices when he starts to move closer, inching his way to her.

"I'm gonna kiss you." he gives her fair warning, slowly reaching up to caress her cheek in his hand. "Feel free to stop me."

Something in her eyes had him believing that she would stop him, that she would tell him he was out of line, that it wasn't right. To his surprise, her eyes slowly slide closed, her head angled in a way that gave him direct access to her lips. Unable to express what that meant to him in that moment, Jason slowly lowers his lips to hers, framing her face in his hands.

The kiss is slow, never going further, but expressing what he had intended to express none the less. Her hands slowly travel upwards, gripping his forearms as she kisses him back, an intensity in her kiss that he had not expected or foresaw, but he wouldn't complain. It was, after all, a very welcomed surprise.

"Sweet dreams." he whispers, slowly pulling away, helping her maintain her balance.

"Sure." she manages to say, trying to get her eyes back into focus, the darkness no longer present within her blue orbs when she looks at him. "See you soon?"

"Yeah."

He waits long enough for her to walk into her gram's house before he slowly makes his way back to his bike, straddling it once again. For a moment, he just stares at the porch, unaware that just behind the front door, Elizabeth's watching him through the window. Knowing he had to leave, Jason starts up his bike, intending to make it to his meeting, making a solemn vow as he kicks the bike off its stand. He will get her to see all the things life has to offer. He'll get her to live again without regret or remorse. A promise he vows to keep with his whole heart because its the least that she deserves.

end


	2. Snow

The pain in his side is damn near killing him, but he had to get to his feet, he had to see the world outside. Being confined inside these four walls, as homely as it felt to him, was becoming unbearable. He just couldn't stand to be indoors for long and he knew that it would be a long while before he was capable of being out in the world again. For now, seeing out the window would suffice, if only he could get that far.

Slowly rising from the couch, he starts to believe that he'll be able to do it, that he'll be able to get to the window and look out at the world beneath. Of course, that hope is crushed when he starts to wobble and nearly falls to the ground, gripping the couch for support. Moving to try again, not one to give up, Jason was about to finally make it when Elizabeth comes walking through the door, concern etched into her features.

Immediately, she starts fussing over him, much like she has these last couple days, something he has found that he didn't mind. Normally when people make a fuss, trying to take care of him, doing things for his own good, Jason would fight back. He'd do whatever it took for them to understand that he could take care of himself. That he didn't need or want help. That he was just capable on his own.

With her, the way she fusses over him, taking care of him, doing what's best for his own good, Jason couldn't bring himself to complain. He couldn't form the words that would put an end to all that she has done and all that she's doing for him. No matter how fussy she gets, how bossy or sometimes ridiculous, he just couldn't bring himself to tell her to leave him alone.

As her hands come up to frame his face within her grasp, moving her face to touch her cheek to his forehead, a low gasp escapes Jason's lips at the sudden unexpected touch. Her gentle hands hold his face in place while she checks his temperature the way a mother would check the temperature of a child. Only, he's certain, a mother-child scenario wouldn't elicit the feelings that are coursing through him at the moment.

After a moment, his senses pick up the distinct smell of snow coming off her body, giving him the feeling that he had been searching for. Though he wasn't able to make it to the window, being close to her like this, breathing in the scent of the outside world by way of Elizabeth, he finds himself relaxing. All his anxiety from being stuck inside starts to melt away as his senses are captivated by the smell of snow.

"Snow doesn't smell." she voices, satisfied with his temperature.

"Yes." he assures, his eyes remaining closed. "It does."

In spite of himself, Jason allows her to pull away, taking with her the smell of snow and the outside world. Looking in her eyes, he could tell that her initial shocked concern for him was starting to fade away the longer she looked him over. He feels bad for making her worry like he did, but he had desperately needed to let some air into that place, to smell the snow.

They talk about why he had went to the boxcar in the first place when he had clearly been shot, both agreeing that it had been the strangest place for him to go, but it wasn't as if he had planned it. Seeing Carly and Sonny together, something he wasn't about to tell Elizabeth, had messed with his head so badly that he wanted to be somewhere familiar.

He wanted to be in a place where he still felt like he could breathe. Away from the betrayal that he had witnessed. Away from the complications of his life that would undoubtedly follow what he had seen. Somewhere he could just be free. And what better place would he get that but the first place he had ever called home.

Switching gears, they spoke of what had brought her to the boxcar and, inadvertently, to his rescue. Her reason had been much like his, not entirely certain as to why she had gone there, but knowing that being there would help ease the tensions that she had been feeling. An escape if you will.

"Now, if I get you soup, will you eat it?" she questions with complete seriousness, eyeing him intently.

"What for?" he wasn't able to resist, needing to ease her worries, hoping a stupid question like that would do it.

"Oh, I don't know." she smiles slightly, a smile that goes to her eyes, telling him that he had succeeded. "To sustain life."

He agrees to the soup, in spite of how much he hates eating it, but knowing that it would do both of them good if he just went along with it. She was worried enough without him denying the only form of food that he could ingest without complications and his body needed some kind of nutrition before it just gave out completely.

Once she's set to leave the studio, Elizabeth begins fussing over him, once again. This time, she's fussing over him to get him to lay down, something he didn't want to do, but knew he'd be doing regardless. Though he wanted to fight it, he knew that he needed to rest, his body fighting back to get him to see reason.

Gently, she uses her hands to move his legs back onto the couch, trying her best not to hurt him. Strangely, the more she winced, as if she was actually getting hurt by the possibility of hurting him, Jason felt less pain. No one has acted like this before, no one that he'd let act like this, anyway. It was actually quite endearing, if he thought about it.

"Just rest." she whispers, tucking him in as snug as a bug. "I won't be long."

Unsure of what prompted him to do so, knowing she had been leaning in to kiss his cheek, Jason turned his face to make her lips meet his. Shock is the first expression to cross her face when she pulls away to look at him, confusion soon following after, unsure of what he was getting at.

Though it pains him, the wound on his side sending shock waves through his body, he reaches his hand up to gently caress the side of her neck. He hears her breath hitch, almost a gasp, but then her eyes go soft at the gentle touch of his hand against her skin.

Tugging slightly, he propels her into moving closer, knowing he couldn't be the one to close the distance, the pain already too much for him to bear at this point, even if he's ignoring it. Keeping his eyes on hers, he pulls her closer and closer until her lips finally meet his, watching as her eyes slide closed at the soft embrace.

"I'll be here waiting." he whispers as they pull apart, his eyes remaining closed as she lays her forehead to his. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Good." she replies, something about the way he said it prompts her to believe that he meant more than simply being on the couch when she returned. "I'll be right back."

Slowly, she moves away from his embrace, tucking him back in, once again. Though he doesn't want her to go, he remains laying on the couch, watching as she straightens her outfit and prepares to leave the studio in search of soup for him to eat. She's about to walk out of the studio, the door open for her to walk out, when she turns back to look at him, meeting his eyes.

For a moment, she simply holds his gaze, something changing within her eyes as she looks at him. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what that was that was changing, but he could see in none the less. Without another word, she takes a deep breath, a soft smile touching her lips before she makes her departure. Whatever had brought on the kiss, whatever prompted him to do so, Jason knows of only one thing he's sure of. He doesn't regret it. Not for a second.

end


End file.
